Rutland memorial, Merrion Square, Dublin

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Where: Dublin, Ireland

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When: 01 January 1966

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One of those monuments you pass by and it never dawns on you what it is or why it is there. Not Elinor's best shot ever - yet an interesting choice for today's image. The Rutland Memorial has seen a lot of traffic pass by, lots of politicians come and go but why is it there and to whom is it a memorial?

Based on inputs in particular today from Mike Grimes, John Spooner, oaktree_brian_1976, and BeachcomberAustralia we got some answers to the why and the who. This structure, officially the "Duke of Rutland Memorial Fountain" was built in 1791/2. Architected by Francis Sandys, and built by Arthur Darley, it had a central fountain surrounded with reliefs by Elizabeth Coade (sister of Eleanor Coade). Commissioned or funded by Charles Manners, Duke of Rutland and Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, it was intended "to provide drinking water for the city's poor". Though it bears his name, the Duke died some years before its construction. And the fountain was dry within several decades. Seemingly confused for a gateway by at least one 19th century commentator, the Corpo apparently proposed turning it into one in the 21st century. Though still a dry fountain, it remains otherwise "ungateified"....


Photographer: Elinor Wiltshire

Collection: Wiltshire Photographic Collection

Date: 1966

NLI Ref: WIL 28[4]

You can also view this image, and many thousands of others, on the NLI’s catalogue at catalogue.nli.ie

Info:

Owner: National Library of Ireland on The Commons
Source: Flickr Commons
Views: 16345
elinorwiltshire rolleiflexcamera rolleiflex wiltshirephotographiccollection nationallibraryofireland elinoro’brienwiltshire rutlandmemorial merrionsquare dublin ireland charlesmanners4thdukeofrutland charlesmanners dukeofrutland lordlieutenantofireland triumphalarch elizabethcoade francissandys fountain railings park garden

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  • profile

    Rory_Sherlock

    • 10/May/2018 08:07:46

    Streetview: www.google.ie/maps/@53.3404152,-6.2513984,3a,75y,113.85h,...

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    domenico milella

    • 10/May/2018 08:18:46

    Congratulation for your beautiful Album.

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    Oretani Wildlife (Mike Grimes)

    • 10/May/2018 08:22:12

    Some information here about it. statues.vanderkrogt.net/object.php?webpage=ST&record=...

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    BeachcomberAustralia

    • 10/May/2018 08:44:14

    Flickr is sometimes amazing! In 2013 without the tilt (it looks like the road falls right to left) via https://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]/ https://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]/9055046948/

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    BeachcomberAustralia

    • 10/May/2018 09:02:07

    Charles Manners, 4th Duke of Rutland (15 March 1754 – 24 October 1787) Rutland was made Lord Lieutenant of Ireland on 11 February 1784. He was enthusiastic for Pitt's Irish policy and the union which it entailed, but became increasingly doubtful of its implementation. In 1785, Pitt and Rutland successfully worked a trade plan through the Irish Parliament, initially against the opposition of Henry Grattan and Henry Flood. However the Foxite opposition in the British House of Commons so gutted the measure with amendments that it was rejected in its new form in Ireland. While the Irish opposition was later reconciled to Pitt's bona fides with regard to trade, the episode demoralized Thomas Orde, the Chief Secretary of Ireland, and further hindered efforts at reform. Rutland was increasingly popular as viceroy, in part because of his convivial nature and ample banquets at Dublin Castle. In summer 1787, he made an extended and rigorous tour of the midlands and north of Ireland, but his excessive consumption of claret was by now taking a toll upon his health. He died of liver disease on 24 October 1787 at the Viceregal Lodge in the Phoenix Park, Dublin. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Manners,_4th_Duke_of_Rutland - includes a portrait by Joshua Reynolds

  • profile

    BeachcomberAustralia

    • 10/May/2018 09:25:22

    The [https://www.flickr.com/photos/nlireland/] is always amazing! Here is a lively and colourful engraving of the fountain when new (c. 1791) showing how "Originally, water poured from two bronze lion heads on either side and from a small central conduit water flowed into a large stone conch shell at the base of the fountain." - catalogue.nli.ie/Record/vtls000168578 Two engravings of the Duke - catalogue.nli.ie/Record/vtls000030048 - 1790 catalogue.nli.ie/Record/vtls000188638 - 1784 And the Duchess - catalogue.nli.ie/Record/vtls000188643 - 1784

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    National Library of Ireland on The Commons

    • 10/May/2018 09:30:22

    https://www.flickr.com/photos/beachcomberaustralia :)

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    oaktree_brian_1976

    • 10/May/2018 10:02:35

    "a 46ft-wide neoclassical monument on Merrion Square built in 1792." They wanted to put a door through it? www.thetimes.co.uk/article/row-froths-up-over-merrion-par... It was a fountain apparently way back when. www.slatteryconservation.ie/#!__rutland-memorial

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    John Spooner

    • 10/May/2018 10:09:29

    An article entitled Fountains of Dublin, Ancient and Modern: Some interesting Public Memorials in the Dublin Evening Telegraph of Saturday 18 December 1920, describes the differences between the aquatint in the National Gallery (presumably the one mentioned by https://www.flickr.com/photos/beachcomberaustralia) , and the then current appearance of the memorial.

    In the arch in the centre reposed the nymph transferred from the democratic district of the Mary street fountain to an aristocratic quarter in Merrion square, but this hapless nymph was the source of worry to the authorities; it was persistently disfigured by some evilly disposed persons until ultimately it had to be taken away. The usual fate happened to this fountain. The water supply failed, and it was closed up and railed in as at present. The medallions, urns and other decorations are fairly well preserved, but the inscriptions are practically effaced, but they were of the usual type. In fact, after a study of the inscriptions on the memorials erected to English rulers in Ireland, one feels like the little boy in the graveyard who, having read the inscriptions on the tombs, asked his mother where the bad men were buried.

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    John Spooner

    • 10/May/2018 10:29:15

    Apparently before the construction of the memorial there was a 'Rutland fountain' somewhere near where the House of Lords was being constructed (opened 1789)

    This profile will be in a profile perspective from the new bridge, which will have an admirable effect, the beauty of which will not be a little heightened by the termination of the Rutland fountain, which is to be erected opposite the great entrance of the College
    (from a description of the construction of the new House of Lords in Dublin Evening Post - Saturday 18 June 1785) So there was a 'Rutland fountain' before Rutland's death. Edit; I think I misread it - I think the termination refers not to the cessation of a fountain, but to the perspective. The end-point of the view was to be the Rutland fountain.

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    John Spooner

    • 10/May/2018 11:26:02

    I've tried and failed to work out what perspective this was, and can only guess that the planned site of the fountain in 1785 was not where it eventually got built.

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    John Spooner

    • 10/May/2018 13:45:33

    The fountain had ceased to supply water by 1852, but it was still called the Rutland fountain. All of which caused great merriment when Alderman John Reynolds J.P. spoke (at great length) at a meeting of the Parent Board of Irish Manufactures and Industry in Dublin. From the part of his speech on workhouses:

    ... he might observe that he was quite at a loss to know why they were called "workhouses." But he supposed that they were so designated for the same reason that the little boy gave the foreigner who, on seeking the Rutland fountain on Merrion-square, but not understanding directly what it was, asked the boy what it might be. "Don't you see that it is a fountain?" "And why is it called a fountain?" "I suppose, your honour, because there is no water in it" (laughter and cheers).
    (Wexford Independent - Saturday 31 January 1852)

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    BeachcomberAustralia

    • 10/May/2018 21:34:02

    [https://www.flickr.com/photos/johnspooner] Great stuff! It seems in Mr French / Lawrence's time that the fountain/memorial was neglected, with three trees growing in front, and a "Lodge" (see OSI 25" map) evident behind. The Lodge roof can just be seen in Mrs Wiltshire's photo above, but seems to have been demolished since. catalogue.nli.ie/Record/vtls000323820 catalogue.nli.ie/Record/vtls000338995

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    National Library of Ireland on The Commons

    • 10/May/2018 23:10:01

    Thanks all! I have updated the text with inputs from the various links provided today. (Apropos of nothing at all, while navigating the various webs and warrens, I noted that the DIA attributes the stonework to Arthur Darley - also apparently a mason on the Customs House. At first glance I read this as "Arthur Daley". And couldn't help thinking that masonry might have been a nice little earner for er indoors.... :) )

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    Dr. Ilia

    • 11/May/2018 08:00:07

    Wonderful capture 👏👏👏